Black Heart
by Atten Daith
Summary: Zoe struggles with her place in the sceme of things while the rest of Serenity's crew come to a new understanding of life’s vagaries. Simon and River find out that 'You can’t go home again' and the Black Lotus just wants them all dead. Book 2
1. Chapter 1 The Scream

Chapter 1 – The Scream

Her brown eyes opened wide, shocked from their sleep, the scream still resonating in her mind. Her heart was thumping like she'd just run a mile and her chest heaving for breath; while sweat traced her glistening brown brow. The shear panic of the scream forced her bolt upright in the bed, still clutching the pillow that now substituted for her partner. Her gaze darted around the room frantically looking for the source of the cry, but the room was dark and empty.

Slowly Zoe unclenched her supple fingers from the pillow and let it fall to the bed. Something was different. Something was very wrong.

Like all the other times the scream was in her head, but this time the scream was not her own. Not from the dream that had plagued her for two long years, not from the vision of her husband's death replaying over and over before her eyes, not from the emptiness that she fought every day or the feared that assailed her every night. This time the scream was from someone else.

She slipped silently from the bed and picked up the sawed-off rifle that she kept close at hand. Zoe moved carefully through her room, toward the ladder that led to the upper corridor. Her toned, coffee arms and legs and long black curls blended into the dark just as much as the loud Hawaiian shirt she wore stood out, giving the eerie impression that her dead husband's shirt was hovering through the ship on its own, his ghost prowling the passages.

The upper corridor was empty, the Galley to the right silent and dark, the dull blue glow from the bridge consoles faint and distant to her left. The ship was still, quiet, almost too quiet. She turned to the bridge, her legs cold from the chill dry air. The metal floor under her bare feet caused a shiver to run along her spine, or was it the lingering memory of the frightened shriek. It had been unmistakably female, but not her own. Had it been Inara, or Kaylee? Had it been River?

"River?" Zoe's voice was hush and had that just woken rasp to it. "River, are you up there?"

She felt as if she were moving through a dream as she climbed the steps leading to the bridge to check on River. Her bare feet fell silently on the metal steps making no perceptible sound over the soft whoosh of exhaust fans and console beeps from the bridge ahead. No one else was about. No one else had heard the cry. If this was a dream, Zoe resolved to do this right. No sloppiness – just because it wasn't real.

The warrior stepped through the door into the empty bridge, gun at the ready. River was not at the console, where the teen aged girl should have been. Zoe crossed the bridge to the front. Stars slipped by the windscreen, silently passing as Serenity sped to her destination. They seemed to repeat the same pattern over and over as they passed by, heightening the déjà-vu like dreaminess she was feeling.

She forced her gaze down from the window to the stairs before her. The glow of panel lights illuminated the small room below. The teen was not in the sensor pit. She was not behind the console. She was not anywhere.

Zoe turned to the controls. Coordinates good. Still on course. Four more hours to go to Boros. Proximity alarm enabled. Everything looked fine until her eyes settled on the pilot's chair, the chair where Wash had always sat, the chair where River was supposed to be.

River's silk sundress lay deflated in the chair, as if she had vaporized from inside and it had just settled there in place. The arms of her sweater lay on the arms of the chair, as if it were lounging there without her. She had a quick flash of her dead husband sitting impaled in the pilot's chair. A flash from the all to familiar dream she often had. She shook it off. The teen's coplex shorts fell from inside as Zoe lifted the dress. The warrior's expression turning from cautious, to perplexed.

"Shen me di yu?" She muttered.

Letting the dress fall back to the seat, Zoe headed for the galley, grabbing a marker from the rack as she left. _Block clear_, she thought, _that would be best, especially if this is a dream_.

She placed a mark over the bridge door as she exited. Captain's cabin was open and quiet, he would be with Inara, in her shuttle. She marked over the door. Jayne, asleep and dead to the verse. She marked. Kaylee – open, never in her room. Probably in her engine room hammock. She marked.

Galley was empty. The quiet hum of the engine room filled the galley from the port on the other side. A small pair of eyes stared back at her from the far door, before scurrying off toward the engine room. The corridor was dark, so Kaylee was likely down in the passenger modules with Simon. She would be back, though, before the night was over. Something about the engines that she could not leave alone for long. Still - another mark.

All the while Zoe kept her rifle at the ready and strained her eyes and ears for the slightest glance or the smallest sound. The ship had a constant background of quiet beeps, small pings, whooshing fans and hissing pipes. But all that faded into the constant backdrop of normalcy. Nothing was out of the ordinary, except in this case that nothing was out of the ordinary.

Upper deck clear, she headed for the cargo hold, descending the forward steps to the gangway. She felt so disconnected, like none of this was real. Like she was still in the war – but she wasn't, like she was still with Wash – but he had been gone for nearly two years, like she was still in control – but was she really? Her heart beat quickened as she reached the bottom.

Zoe turned onto the gangway and scanned the bay. Her eyes quickly found the lone figure standing in the middle of the hold floor. The alabaster skin and black hair stood out like a beacon in the dim reserve lighting of the cargo bay below. River Tam stood stark naked in the middle of the vast empty cargo hold, hugging herself, shivering violently and muttering something to under her breath repeatedly. Zoe approached carefully, silently.

"I did it. Is that the way it is supposed to be? I don't know. I did it. It must be. Because I did it." She mumbled.

"River?" Zoe touched the girl gingerly on the shoulder.

The girl startled and locked on Zoe's eyes. "I did it, but I didn't like it there. Too much light."

"Ok?"

"Too much light, too much nothing, too much everything."

Zoe caught the girl as she fainted dead away. _Why did I expect anything different_? Zoe thought to herself as she carried the teen to her module. She laid the girl to sleep in her bed. After a careful tucking in, Zoe made her way back to the bridge. Folding River's clothes neatly and laying them on the copilot's chair, she took up her place at the console.

"Just you, me and the universe again dear." She whispered, as she curled up in the pilot seat and pulled a small blanket over her legs. She shrugged her shoulder up to her nose and breathed in the faint fragrance of his cologne from his collar, "Another day of terror and wonder in outer space."

Zoe sat watching the stars slipping by, in their familiar pattern and, as she drifted off to sleep, wondered exactly what it was that River had done.


	2. Chapter 2 Not Safe

Chapter 2 – Not Safe

Gabriel Tam stirred from an uneasy sleep, not only because of the faint sound of the perimeter breach alarm, which was again clambering, but also because he did not like this new pillow in this new mansion. He could sleep through any alarm if his pillow didn't feel like a ta ma de (damn) brick. But this pillow was worse that concrete and this mansion was nothing like home.

They had moved into this new, gated compound on Osiris because it was supposedly safer, but this was the fourth times in the past week the alarm had gone off. The least they could have done was allow him the time to collect his favorite things before whisking him off to this posh prison he now called home. His desk, his favorite chair and most of all – his pillow. Then he wouldn't care how many killers the Black Lotus sent to kill him. He'd be sleeping and the captain of the guard could handle it while he slumbered in his blissful ignorance.

Reagan, who slept soundly beside him, told him that he accepted this burden when he accepted the job. As always, the practical answer to the most important questions in life. That was why he married her and that was why she was still there next to him. She kept him focused on what was important. He chuckled now, as he leaned up on his elbows. _If I had know that the Finance Minister never slept I would have thought more before accepting_, he thought.

"Urh, what is it, dear." Reagan mumbled through her pillow.

"Another damned alarm." Gabriel grumbled as he sat up and slid his feet into a warm pair of slippers.

"Come back to bed." she moaned. "Let the Captain handle that bao you gong ju blessed contraption."

"I'll be right back – fresh air will probably do me good."

"Then open the window more and come back to bed."

"I'll be back." He insisted.

"Ugh." Was all she could muster as her husband left the room and closed the door quietly behind him. The room settled back into its dark stillness. The distant beeping of the alarm wafting in through the window on a gentle breeze that was soon drown out by the soft rhythmic breathing of his sleeping wife.

"Sir!" The guard to the left of the door barked, startling the new Minister to full awareness.

"Where is the Captain?" Gabriel said in hush voice, encouraging the guards to do the same.

"At the front gate, sir." Replied the one on the right, in a far quieter tone.

"Take me to him – is it Edwards?" He requested politely.

"Gibson. Sir." The guard corrected.

The middle-aged financier, as he still thought of himself, followed diligently behind the alert guard as they descended the steps and proceeded to the front door. Though Gabriel was not yet used to the position of Minister, having only had it for a week now, the guards were quite used to the alarms and incessant attempts to breach security at the compound. They took some pride in the fact that the previous Minister had been assassinated – but not here. Though things had generally settled down on the assassination front, since Minister Loe's coupe was put down and minister Jacobs had become the new President, the Black Lotus still seemed to be active in some special cases. Gabriel Tam seemed to be one of these cased.

They were half way across the compound when the gunfire broke out, to their left, in a grove of Mandebeaux trees. A scurry of feet, a plethora of orders and numerous commands followed, as the perimeter guards encircled the area. Gabriel's guard physically stepped in between the Minister and the commotion, holding him in place with his left hand while brandishing an automatic weapon in the right.

"Minister?" The Captain's voice snapped from ahead. "What are you doing out here?"

"I know I got him." Came another voice from the grove. "Here – here's the blood trail."

"You need to return to the house." The Captain ordered.

"I will not be intimidated by these thugs, Captain." Gabriel persisted.

"It is my job to make sure that they do not kill you Minister." The captain now addressed the guard directly, ignoring the petulant minister. "Take him back to the house - now!"

"Yes Sir!" He responded immediately. "This way Minister."

Gabriel followed the guard back to the residence and waited for the captain in the front hallway. Within a few minutes the captain returned with four other heavily armed men in tow.

"Did you find the culprit?" The waiting minister asked.

"One of them." He replied. "You two! – right. You two! – left. Gibson! With me."

"Captain?" The minister queried at the captains continued concern.

Gabriel followed the captain up the long stairway as he explained. Their footsteps and voices echoed in the huge entrance chamber, making it difficult for him to gather all of the implications the captain was trying to impress upon him. A litany of barks shot up from the searchers below. Clear! Clear! Clear! The captain tried hard to be informative and concise, but he did not slow down for the minister.

"We followed the blood trail to a dead assassin."

"So?"

"No GSW. His throat was cut."

"I don't get it?"

"Sir – you have so many assassins after you, they are killing each other. There is still another assassin in the compound." The captain snapped. "Cho!"

"Secure Sir!" The guard at the door confirmed.

"Open it!"

The door opened. Still dark and quiet inside, a sweet fragrance wafted from the door on a cool breeze. Lotus flower, Gabriel thought, she must have opened the window. Gibson and Cho entered, followed by the captain, however, when Gabriel tried the captain physically stopped him.

"What? – What are you doing?"

"You don't want to go in there, sir. Not right now."

"Reagan? - Reagan!"


	3. Chapter 3 The Deal

Chapter 3 – The Deal

Boros was a small planet, uniquely terra-formed to provide the maximum homesteading capacity in an easily administrated package. Wasn't much more than a moon for most planets. The joke was that a good horse could ride around Boros in three days. It wasn't far off the mark. The planet was small, the towns were small and the jobs were small.

Except for the lakes and geysers to the south, Boros was entirely covered with lush fertile land. Large pumps tapped into the expansive subterranean aquifer to provide irrigation to the many farms that covered the planet's surface. This made Boros extremely dependant on the Alliance for just about everything, but food. Boros was also a strong Alliance supporter for that reason. Normally this would have irked Mal to no end, but they needed work, and Boros had work.

Zoe headed into the Alliance Post Office while the rest of the group stayed outside, a habit they gotten into from their thieving days. It turns out to be statistically harder to identify individuals off of wanted posters than it is to identify groups. They were pretty sure that they weren't on any current posters, however, on a planet like Boros there was no telling how old the posters might be.

"What exactly are we doing on this Podunk backwater of a pit hole?" Jayne asked.

"Jayne." Mal scolded. "Such language. You'll offend the women."

"What? Inara ain't here."

"Hey!" Kaylee complained.

"We've all had to make some adjustments to the jobs we can take, so let's just get this one done and look for better in Dyton." Mal's tone was upbeat and jovial, well as jovial as Mal got."

"We need to be getting back to Persephone and the first arm is what I'm thinking." Jayne spouted.

"Duly noted." Mal responded. "Kaylee – don't let me forget. Jayne's been thinking again."

"It ain't funny Mal. Some folks been forgettin that this here is a money makin venture" Jayne grumbled. "Not a damn homestead."

"I'll try not to take that all personal like." Mal replied lightly. "Me and Zoe will go close the deal. We'll drop the shipments off at Dyton. Then we'll look to putting Persephone back on the horizon."

"I'm just sayin." Jayne grumbled.

"Kaylee – You need anything?"

"Nope. Just the Fuelin Depot, Cap'n."

"Well I need stuff." Jayne piped up. "Replace what we used up in Verbena."

Verbena had not gone well, the first job to go poorly since leaving Persephone in a hurry last year. Mal had hoped that things would have settled down by now, but some folk were just lazy and other folk just like doing things the hard way. That made it hard on honest criminals like Mal.

"No poppers." Mal said, rolling his eyes. "They ain't worth the trouble."

"No." Jayne agreed reluctantly. "Just the borin stuff. We're running low."

"Ok." Mal tossed as small bag of coins to the placated mercenary. "but take it easy. This is a nice planet. I want to be able to come back."

"Yup, me and the doctor here is going to see if we can save any of the locals."

Kaylee glared at Jayne and poked Simon in the side. Her face registered a fair bit of annoyance at the idea of her doctor running off with Jayne.

"Well, as much as I would love to extend the legend that is Jayne Cobb," Simon countered drolly. "I have other plans."

Kaylee hugged the doctor's arm and smiled sweetly.

"Dang, and I thought we could have another one of them adventures."

"I'll go with him." River offered eagerly.

"Will you keep him from getting anything that explodes?" Mal asked.

"Wait a minute Mal." Jayne complained.

"Yes Captain." River agreed.

"I ain't no babysitter."

"Good – I ain't no baby." She retorted, standing tiptoe on the curb to go nose to nose with the big man. Then she whispered in his ear. "…and I can melt your brain."

"Shiny." Jayne grumbled. "Come on little girl. Uncle Jayne's gonna teach you all about hiring a whore."

"Get back to the ship by noon Jayne." The captain called, as the big man left.

"Got you."

Kaylee took Simon by the arm and headed off to the fuel depot as River skipped off after Jayne. Zoe returned with a hand full of mail a minute later looking around for the happy group.

"Where'd everybody go?"

"Off to do their daily chores." Mal sighed contentedly. "Don't you just love it when they're all so happy."

"Mail Sir."

"How is it that bills always find a way to getting delivered?" Mal observed philosophically, as the two made there way down the dusty street. "Oh – got one here for the doctor."

Mal shook it and held it up to the light.

"What are you doing, Sir?"

"Just checking." Mal quipped. "It might be - important."

"It's a letter sir."

"You never can tell." Mal's expression changed as they approached the saloon. It was time they got back to business. "Are you ready for this?"

"Ready, Sir."

He stuffed the mail into his coat pocket as they entered the specified meeting place. The client, a Bartholomew Abernathy, represented a crop co-op that needed produce shipped to Dyton. Abernathy sat at a sturdy wood table ruffling through a stack of papers and talking to the waitress. He waved them over as soon as they entered and after exchanging pleasantries and a few cordial beers the got down to business. As usual, things could have gone smoother.

"I don't know Mal, a void run seems a bit risky."

"Come on Bart, I've done a hundred of them and not gotten stuck…"

"But once, Sir." Zoe interrupted.

"…but once." Mal agreed, shooting Zoe a dirty look.

"You know once is all it would take to break us." The man countered. "Mas Corp is dying to move in here."

"Bart, I can move your load in half the time for half the fee. You gotta move your crop soon or you'll get nothing at all."

"Don't think I don't know that, Son." The older man snapped. "but that ship of yours is pretty small, you can't move a big lot – and the risk."

"Big lot? You ain't got a big lot, as I see it. What you got would barely fill my hold – well…"

"Twice, Sir."

"Twice." Mal agreed, shooting Zoe another dirty look. "And like I said, I'll deliver the lot in half the time – and with no gate fees. That's all straight profit for you – and – you'll be undercutting Mas Corp in the process."

"And we can come back for the second lot next week." Zoe offered.

"Next Week!" Mal cried, then he agreed. "Yeah, next week."

"What about the risk?" Abernathy persisted.

"That one time," Mal laughed it off. "That was a fluke. Serenity was more - rustic back then. She's been completely rebuilt since. She's Tip Top. Ask Zoe, she wouldn't lie."

"Tip Top." She replied flatly.

The two men shook on the deal and signed off on the details over another beer. Mal and Zoe thanked the man and headed to the dock, where Serenity was waiting. Mal wanted to supervise the loading, so they cut short their plans for a relaxed drink and returned early. They had just gotten started when Kaylee and the doctor returned, strolling and laughing as they stumbled up the ramp. They, apparently had not skipped the drink.

"Had a good time, I trust?" Mal asked.

"Mmm." Kaylee affirmed.

"Good. Now it's time for workin."

"You get the Load, Cap'n?" Kaylee asked, hanging on the doctor.

"Yup." He answered proudly.

"Both runs?"

"I surely did." He beamed this time. "Went down just like I said."

"Good crook, bad crook?"

"Yup. Good crook, bad crook."


	4. Chapter 4 Donovan

Chapter 4 – Donovan

It wasn't that Alle Thew minded what he was doing for a living, it was just that it was so very different from what he had expected. Piloting the personal get-away craft for a notorious underworld Boss was just the latest turn in a career that took him from loyal minion, to valued disciple, to respected warrior, to wanted criminal and now back to trusted minion. He had full well expected to be the head of security for the Emperor and whiling away his day in Imperial parties and back-door affairs with the royal harem. But Alle was a flexible man and had learned to accept what life had offered him a long time ago.

He currently sat in a rather non-descript, albeit richly appointed speeder, going down the flight list for their eventual departure from Osiris to Sihnon. Douglas Loe, formerly Captain Loe of the 'would be' Imperial Sixth Fleet, did not like to stay in any one place for too long. Toward this end, namely creating an Empire, Loe had expanded the Black Lotus society year ago to touch nearly every livable planet in the verse. Alle mused that this had been a fortuitous plan, as it now afforded them an ample network of hideouts with unparalleled communications from which to run their underworld operations. The down side of this rapid expansion, of course, was that most of them were not very experienced. Douglas Loe, AKA Black Heart, had not quite given up on his late brothers ambitions to become the next Emperor of the verse. He had just settled on a somewhat smaller and somewhat less official Empire to rule.

Alle turned off the radio while he went down the list one more time, keeping a close eye on his Boss. He'd been doing this since Loe's father was the Boss and the Boss was just a teen. He'd gotten good enough to see when things were not right. His Boss was seated at the street-side café eating a late lunch, and a blond youth, that was seated two tables back, was not right.

The youth was maybe in his early twenties, well built and uncommonly good looking, if you liked the pretty-boy look. Alle personally hoped women went more for the rugged, unassumingly confident sort. In an case, his afternoon of quiet relaxation was no doubt coming to and end, as it was quite evident that the young man had full intention of joining his boss and engaging in some sort of impromptu conversation.

The blond stood and walked casually over to Douglas Loe's table and brashly sat down across from him. Loe did not look up from his menu.

"There are not many here with such a strong wish to die." Loe observers, still looking over the entrees.

"I was right then – it is you?"

"That does entirely depend on whom you are." Loe replied.

"Let's just say a big fan."

"I may need a little more than that if you wish to survive this meeting." Loe lowered the menu and glowered at the youth.

The blond reached in his pocket and produced a bloodied gold medallion of a black lotus flower and a stack of pictures. He tossed them on the table and leaned back in the chair.

"I'm the man that did your last job." He quipped.

"You mean the meddling imposter."

"If that buffoon you sent hadn't set off all the alarms – your Minister would be dead right now." The baby-faced assassin observed. "…and don't think I couldn't take out your driver man, behind me."

"Thew, escort this child away, would you?"

"Is that the only thanks I get? For heaven's sake – I left your calling card and everything. Let you take all the credit." The youth protested. "That's got to count for something?"

"The job is not done."

"Well that punk I killed, that you called an assassin certainly wasn't going to get it done."

"You killed my man?"

"He would have died anyway." The blond tossed his long hair aside with a nonchalant flip of the head. "At least you could thank me."

"For what? Tam is still alive." Loe hissed. "…and my list is getting no shorter."

"For showing you how it should be done." The youth retorted.

Loe paused to think a moment. "Talk."

"Give me your list." He offered. "As long as we both want the same people dead, I don't see why I shouldn't be working for you. Think about it - it will save you all that wasted training time for those lightweights you keep sending. And frankly I am getting tire of killing them just to get them out of the way."

"You are arrogant young man." Loe said as he looked at the pictures of the dead woman. Her throat was neatly slit and her hands held the lotus so peacefully. He had to admit – there was art in this that he hadn't seen for a good long time. "…but I like you – Mr…"

"Donovan."


	5. Chapter 5 Shopping

Chapter 5 - Shopping

River stood outside the ramshackle gun shop looking down at the list Jayne had shoved in her hand and the remainder of the coin pouch he'd left. A horse drawn wagon passed behind River, kicking up a cloud of dust around her as she stood. The roughnecks in the shop stared out at her, laughing as she considered her best approach. Finally she decided that it couldn't be that hard, if Jayne usually did this job. But she was not Jayne. She would have to lay down a few ground rules from the start. She walked into the shop, brushing dust from her dress.

"Now what do you think you're doin in here lil girl?" The owner laughed to his two friends, as the dust covered girl entered. "Don't you know this is a man's store?"

"I'm shopping." River answered, looking at them as if they should have known.

The others laughed right along, when she handed him Jayne's list. "Now what's a sweet lil-thang like you want with these implements of destruction?"

"I don't want them." She retorted. "I want those."

She pointed to a pair of twin fighting swords that hung over the register just behind the counter.

"You sure you can handle them, Babe." The short swarthy man at the end of the counter laughed.

"Now Jake, don't be talkin down to the customers." The owner chuckled.

"Come on Xoa, let her play with um. Maybe she'll show you somptin." The tall one added.

Xoa fetched the blades down from the wall and drew them from their sheaths.

"Ain't they a little long for you, girl?" Jake chided.

"I don't think so." River said innocently.

"Ok lil-one, what are you willin to show me if I let you try them?"

"I show you my new move." River offered again innocently.

"Oh I bet she will." Jake guffawed.

Moments after Xoa handed the blades to River all three men were huddled behind the counter, praying the cover was sufficient to protect them from the dust demon they'd let loose in their shop. She had covered the length, depth and height of the small shop, chopping anything that looked unnecessary in half and then, in half again. Every form she knew she showed them, every move she demonstrated. When she finished she planted both blades into the counter with a resounding thunk.

"That's all." She said. "Blades strong enough, but the balance is off. Got any others?" She added eagerly.

The three just shook their heads.

"Well then - these will have to do." She tossed the bag with the remaining coins to Xoa. "The rest of the list is for my boss."

They stared and her for a moment, open mouthed, as she strapped the sheathing over her back and stowed the blades.

"Well – hurry?"

.

.-

Inara sat next to Mal of the love seat she kept close to her shuttle entrance. The couch, along with a table, the cockpit bulkhead and the curtain separating the rest of the shuttle, made a small entryway sitting room that she liked to use as a parlor. But more importantly for now, it was the only piece of furniture she could easily get into and out of without help. The challenges of pregnancy had changed many things in her life, not the lease of which was sitting comfortably. She held his hand reassuringly as they talked, as much for herself as for the captain.

"It's a good plan Mal, they just might need some time to ease into it.

"We've been doing this for so long" Mal looked at Inara, her belly was almost as big as the rest of her now. "I just don't know if they can adjust."

"So ease them into it. Slowly." Inara reassured him. "They'll come around … and once I get set up on Harvest you won't be hurting for business. You can tell Jayne that."

"The Guild is good with the idea?"

"Mal, they've been practically begging me to do this for years." Inara looked down at her belly. "It's only been recently that I've been in a position to say yes."

Mal sat considering the next step. He knew it wasn't going to be easy, but nothing in life ever was. Changing directions was one of the hardest. He looked back at Inara as if he'd made up his mind.

"I've made the arrangements for you on Harvest. It's a good plot of land. No zoning restrictions. Good access to water, plenty of room to build. Pleasant enough for your needs."

"Mal," Inara laughed. "You make it sound like I'll be running a ranch."

"Did I?"

"I'll call the Guild tonight and make final arrangements."

"There's one thing I need to know before we go on with this." The captain asked.

"What Mal?"

"Am I in danger of becoming respectable here?"

"I don't think even I could accomplish that." Inara laughed.

.

.-

River pushed open the door to the bar where she'd left Jayne, just as he emerged from a room at the top of the stair. Light streamed out of the room through the dusty air of the bar below, breaking the dullness of the dreary place with two or three bright shafts of light. Jayne retreated down the stairs trying to mollify the myriad of half naked pouters that followed him out of the room above.

"Don't worry girls," Jayne promised. "Jayne Cobb will be back this way next week."

River looked up at him with an expression that was half reproachment and half unbelieving awe. How could anyone, let alone a group of women, be that stupid. Even if they were whores.

"I'm tellin ya, fame has its perks." He called down to River in the room below. "But it's getting on noon, and we gotta go."

Jayne grabbed River by the shoulders and turned her around, ushering her out. He pat one of the barmaids on the rump as they passed.

"I thought you were going to teach me how to hire a whore?" River protested.

"Next time, Darlin. Next time."


	6. Chapter 6 The Letter

Chapter 6 – The Letter

Zoe and Mal enter the galley just as Kaylee was helping the very pregnant Inara to a seat on the corner couch. Simon stood in the corner by Inara and Kaylee, keeping an eye on the mother to be. Aside from the cargo hold, the galley was the largest room onboard Serenity and a natural gathering place. It served as their eating-place, but also their conference room, lounge, library and sitting room. The wall paintings of fruits, leaves vines and flowers made the room pleasant and homey.

"Where's River?" Mal looked over at Jayne, who was eating a roll and some protein spread at the table.

"Stowin something in her room." Jayne answered. "Probly some girl stuff she didn't want me to see. Got all secretive and paranoid on me when I asked."

Mal tosses the letter to Simon.

"Mail for you Doc."

Simon slowly turned the letter in his hand. It was obviously from his father, possibly announcing his new position with the government, likely pleading with him to return home. He had reservations about opening it, unsure of whether he wanted to do that much soul searching, so soon after the more pleasant activities he'd just finished with that morning with Kaylee. She'd told him he had to help her practice her Companioning skills. Simon smiled. He didn't mind the extra work.

"Now that I got you all together." Mal announced. "After we drop our second load in Dyton, I was thinking we should take another run out to Harvest."

'I'd like that Cap'n." Kaylee piped up, but Jayne's face registered a less pleasant look.

"I don't think anyone at Harvest has call to be angry with us." Mal asked.

"Harvest! You got angry people right here Mal. Pickins been getting mighty thin lately," Jayne crowed, glowering at Inara. "… and Harvest ain't gonna cut it."

"Tain't no-ones fault." Mal added, seeing the glare Inara shot back at Jayne. "Just wanted let people know. We might need a bit more time before heading to Persephone. There could be trouble there."

"We ain't never had trouble there before Cap'n. Cept for last time." She recalled.

"We an't never left there like we did last time. Port authority might have second thoughts about letting us in."

"Sir, I'll be on the bridge." Zoe said. She also didn't look too pleased. "… not sure I can take all this jubilation."

"Good." The captain said, sitting himself next to Jayne. He was not feeling the love just yet, but that never bothered him before and it wasn't about to start now. "Jayne? You get everything you needed?"

"Sure did, Mal." Jayne sounded unusually pleased considering they were still cruising backwater planets. "Turns out the kid is a natural. She got everything on the list."

"So?" Mal asked, trying to filter out Kaylee's prying into Simon's affairs and focus on Jayne.

"Comon Simon." Kaylee urged, from the corner. "Open it up. At least see what he has to say."

"Well" Jayne continued. "… after the whores, I figured there was only coin enough left for half of it. She got the whole lot. Lil Kaylee must be teachin her to negotiate."

"Glad to hear it. We can use the savings." Mal confessed. "It's been hard living in the margins, with the way you go through the whores, that is."

"I'm tired of shipping low profit crop for back-world drudges, Mal." Jayne complained. "… and Boros. Dang Mal, they're so deep in Alliance, they transfer all the cash over the cortex. We don't even get a chance to steal it. It just ain't fare."

"If you can find us better work?"

"Well I ain't the one knocked up our meal ticket now, was I?"

"I'm trying to stay civil here Jayne, so you might want to watch where your going with this." The sound of Inara and Kaylee laughing made them both look up momentarily.

"I think you'd make a fine Companion Kaylee," Inara said. "… and I'm sure the doctor has no problem helping you practice."

"… and she'll be back to normal in a few months." Mal assured the big man.

"You just ain't getting this, are you Mal?" Jayne retorted. "She's gonna have a kid, and that's gonna change things permanent. This ain't no place to bring up a kid."

"It don't look so bad." Mal said looking around. He'd touched a nerve in Jayne he'd never seen before and wanted to see where it went.

"Oh sure." Jayne railed. "What about crazy aunt River that likes to play with knives, and Uncle Jayne's gun collection, not to mention all them moving parts in the engine room and that great big cargo hold full of heavy things."

"What? You don't think this is a nurturing environment?"

"Simon?" Something in Inara's tone alarmed Mal.

Mal and Jayne looked up again. Simon had slumped onto the corner of the couch. His hand, holding the letter, fell to his side. His face registered shock.

"Doc?" Mal queried.

"What's the problem, taxman finally catch up to ya." Jayne loped to the corner, taking the letter from his limp hand. He took a quick look at the letter and fell silent.

"What?" Mal asked, as Jayne handed him the letter.

"It ain't good Mal."

"What's wrong?" Kaylee slipped around Inara, putting her hands on Simon's slumped shoulders. "Simon?"

"His Mom's dead." Jayne explained.

"Oh no." Kaylee knelt down in front of the grieving doctor, Inara took his hand.

The letter was short and direct, more of an information bulletin than a letter, really. Mal walked to the intercom. "Zoe – tell Abernathy we'll be taking a detour to Osiris, before heading to Dyton."

"**Sir?"**

"Just tell him." Mal snapped. "One day out of our way. Then we'll drop his shipment."

"**Yes, Sir."**

"Captain, I … " Simon started.

"It ain't no trouble, son."

"**Captain, Abernathy don't mind the delay - long as we don't die in the void."**


	7. Chapter 7 The Viewing

Chapter 7 – The Viewing

Simon held River by the arm, as the two stood next to the casket in the viewing hall. Their mother lay in the soft cushioned interior, looking perfect as usual. She was dressed as if hosting a causal dinner for a group of good friends, or one of her charity events. Her face had a calm, restful look; her slightly Japanese features were graced with a perfect symmetry, a perfect jun heng (harmony).

The make-up almost belied the fact that she was dead. She could just as easily have nodded off on the sitting room couch after all the guests had left, as she had so many times before. But the guests hadn't left. _It was so unlike her to be resting, with so many still around_, Simon thought, as he looked over his shoulder at the room full of well-wishers.

River looked uncomfortable, almost reluctant to be there, as Simon held her close by his side. She had balked twice on their way up to the front. Now she was just very twitchy.

"Why are they all here? I don't want them to be here. They're staring." She complained quietly to her brother. "They have guns. Why do they have guns?"

"The men with the guns will stay outside River." Simon assured. "They are here to protect Father."

"They are all so – so loud. They should go away."

Gabriel Tam stood at the back of the small room, flanked by two rather large men in black suits and dark glasses. Simon surmised that they were not dressed for the occasion, but normally dressed in this manner. His father greeted the guests as they came, thanking them for their condolences and ushering them to their seats. He seemed to be handling the situation well, like he did everything. Everything under control, everything except what was truly important. But there was an emptiness in his eyes that told the truth to Simon.

"Shh." River hushed him.

Simon knew he had been thinking too loud. She hated when he did that. But he was struggling with how much had changed since he'd left Capital City, almost as much as he struggled with how much hadn't changed. The poor and homeless around the hospital were as disquieting to him as the visions of the new family living in his old house. They had happened to pass both places on the way to the new palatial compound where Father now resided alone. Simon wondered if he, or for that matter half the people in this room, could see passed their own personal realities far enough to recognize the injustice. He wondered how much of that societal blindness had landed the both of them where they were today.

"I was never good enough for her." River mumble. "I wasn't what she wanted."

"River?" Simon turned to his sister, a startled look on his face. "What are you saying?"

"She had to learn to love me. It wasn't like that with you."

"That's not true."

"It is."

River reached out and touched her mother's brow. She had a sudden flash of pain; followed by the fading image of a familiar face that she couldn't quite place. Square jaw, fair skin, blond hair. Then images of River, Simon and her father playing, growing, just being, quickly replace the face. They had been happy – once. Just as quickly the images were all gone. Only a warm feeling remained, the calm peacefulness of death filled River and she smiled.

"… but you did learn, Reagan. You learned." Tears streamed down Rivers face, as she hugged her brother's arm tighter.

"We should sit." Simon suggested.

The two walked slowly to the back of the room to join their father, leaning on each other as they went. As they passed through the sea of congregants, dignitaries, ministers and ambassadors, all dressed in black suits and dresses, Simon spotted the crew of Serenity sitting inconspicuously in the back. He was touched they all came, even though they seemed a bit uncomfortable in the present crowd they were group with. As was Simon.

"Everyone is here." Simon observed, as he stood by his father in the vestibule.

"Yes everyone." His voice sounded empty.

"How many of them do you actually know?" Simon seemed annoyed, a bit taken aback by the number of political attendees.

"You should have come home sooner, maybe you'd know some of them." Gabriel sniped.

"I was keeping River safe."

"Safe from what? She would have been safe at home."

"N-no, don't be angry." River pleaded softly as she tugged on both their arms. "We should sit. Let's sit."

""Where – the place where Mom got killed. That wasn't exactly safe now was it?" Simon retorted. "And it's not home."

"What are you trying to say, Simon, that I brought this on myself?" Gabriel rasped quietly, trying not to attract any attention from the next room.

"No one forced you into the job. Certainly not Mom." Simon replied angrily under his breath. "I don't recall anyone shooting at you at the banking commission."

"No, please stop."

"Trouble comes when you do the right thing, Simon. You of anyone should know that."

Simon stopped. "I know." His tone was conciliatory.

"I'm just saying, she missed you both, terribly." Gabriel sounded apologetic.

"I would have come home, had I known…" Simon trailed off.

"We should sit," River urged, again tugging on their arms.

"River's right. This is not the time or place for this, Simon." Gabriel said.

Simon silently agreed.

The two Tam children took their father by the arms and escorted him to the front of the gathering. Then they sat, in a haze of remembrances and exultations, recounting the life that was Reagan Tam's. Before they realized it the service was over and the room nearly cleared.

Simon and Gabriel Tam rose together and made their way to the back of the room, where the crew of Serenity waited. Mal, Jayne and Zoe stood behind Inara and Kaylee, who were still seated in the last row. Inara was rubbing the swell of her belly uncomfortably while Kaylee rubbed Inara's shoulders and fixed her hair.

"I wanted you to meet the crew that I travel with." Simon stated, almost proudly.

"It was so good of you to come." Gabriel said, mechanically as he took Mal by the hand.

As Mal shook his hand, River drifted from her chair to the casket at the front of the room. Mal's face registered momentary alarm as River lay down on the marble platform and curled up next to the finely crafted oak coffin. Mal nudged Zoe as he led Gabriel out into the vestibule by the hand. It only took her a second to see the problem and she headed to the front of the chamber.

"I just wanted to tell you how sorry we all are for your loss." Mal started. "And assure you, your children are well cared for."

""I can see you are decent people." Gabriel said, trying to hide his obvious reservations. "… and I appreciate all that you have done for them, but you must know I want them to come home?"

"I do." Mal replied, taking a quick glance over the man's shoulder. Zoe had recovered River and the two were headed to the back of the chamber to join the rest of the crew. "But in more ways than you know, it might be better if they didn't – just yet."

"How do you mean?" Gabriel retorted defensively.

Zoe guided the small girl to Gabriel's side and nodded to Mal, _catastrophe averted_ or so she thought.

Just as they arrived a security guard entered the back of the room from a side chamber. He was dressed in full camouflage; his automatic weapon was by his side in the right hand and his helmet in his left hand. River sprang from her father's side and kicked the unwitting solder against the wall. She ducked under the two Black Suits as they tried to grab her and grappled the stunned soldier. Spinning him to the ground, she wrapping the strap of his weapon around this neck and pulled back.

"River stop." Simon commanded, as Mal pulled Gabriel safely out of the way. Simon grabbed his sister by the shoulders and tried to hold her, as the guard sputtered beneath her. "He's a good guy. Let him go."

"No Gorram Guns!" the girl demanded, as Simon lifted her from the man. "Tell him."

"I will River. I'll tell him."

"No guns." She repeated.

Gabriel Tam stood petrified in Mal's grip. He gaped as Simon hugged the girl, trying to calm her. He hadn't seen her in so long, and she had grown since he last laid eyes on her, but he'd thought he knew her. This was not his little girl. This was not his River.

"What's happened to her?"

"She can sometimes be a bit moody." Mal offered by way of explanation.


	8. Chapter 8 Dyton

Chapter 8 – Dyton

The crew gathered in the galley, still dressed in their Sunday best, trying to act as if they had time to sit and greave or console, knowing all the time that they had to move on. Simon, River and Mal sat at the table while Jayne, Kaylee and Inara occupied the corner couch. Zoe was on the bridge entering the flight plan for Dyton.

"You know you can both stay here for a day or two?" Mal offered. "It's no trouble us coming back this way before heading to Boros. Or you can stay lomger – if you choose."

"I know." Simon answered. "but…"

"It's not home anymore." River completed.

"The new place – she's right – it's not home, and I fear we would just be in the way." Simon continued. "The captain has his hands full just keeping my father alive. The last thing he needs is to worry about River and me."

"They any closer to knowing what happened?" Mal asked.

"They are pretty sure it was the Black Lotus, they have some evidence anyways."

"But why would they kill yer Mom?" Kaylee asked, immediately regretting how the words just spilled out of her mouth.

Simon hesitated a moment, still grappling with the idea that his mother was gone. "Either the target was meant to be my father or they were trying to intimidate him, because of his new position."

"But they don't have any reason." Inara puzzled. "The Lotus are outlaws and the coupe is politically dead."

"I don't think that's it." Mal conjectured, folding his hands on the table in front of him. "It's not about politics, it's about vengeance."

"Vengeance?" Even as Simon asked it made sense to him.

"From what I hear, your father didn't do Minister Loe and favors in his testimony last year. Made the difference between freedom and a death sentence for the both of them."

"Yes - He told me."

"If Loe and the Lotus are behind this, he's out to kill you all. Shen fu chou jia ting (family vendetta) You and River are likely in as much danger as your father."

"For that matter, your connecting the two of them to the Black Lotus society would put you pretty high on the payback list, wouldn't it?" Simon surmised.

"Wrong place, wrong time." Mal mused. "We might all want to be a little more careful doing our business in the future."

"They're wrong." River mumbled. "They didn't kill her – he did."

"Who River, who killed yer Mom?" Kaylee walked over to the girl and put her hand on her shoulder.

"He should be dead, but he's not. I don't think he's a ghost so he must have escaped – like me."

"River?" Simon asked. "You know who did this?"

"He was like me. A normal boy once. Then they made him into a monster – like me. Now he is just hate."

"From the school?"

"Wait a minute, another wacked out crazy teen-aged killer." Jayne sounded truly concerned now. He moved to the table and sat by Mal. "I ain't signed on for this Mal, and ten percent of the nothing we been gettin just ain't workin for me neither."

"Yes." River replied. "She saw him in her dream. Square jaw, baby face, nice smile, blond hair, Donovan. He liked me. I didn't like him."

"Is what Jayne said right?" Mal was looking directly into River's eyes. "Are there others like you out there."

"Yes, there were twenty-four." River looked uncomfortable talking about it, memories she did not want to revive.

"Do you know what happened to them?"

"No – but this one is outside watching Serenity right now. He has a flower."

"Woe, I ain't sittin around waitin for no freak to come kill me." Jayne answered.

"That's Ok – he's waiting for me."

"River?" Simon asked. "Are you sure?"

She nodded. "Donovan."

"Well he will have to be satisfied with watching us leave here in an hour." Mal resolved. "Jayne – we'll set a parameter while Kaylee finishes the prep. River – are you well enough to take us out?"

She nodded again.

"If you all want to play with fire for naught, you're welcome to it, but I'm outta here." Jayne exclaimed. "I ain't dealin with no Black Lotus and I sure ain't dealin with no wacko killer."

Jayne kicked back out of his chair, sending it flying back against the cabinets behind.

"Jayne where you going?" Kaylee asked nervously.

"I'm finding me a nice whore house and you can all solve the Tam's personal problems without me."

"But Jayne, don't …"

"Let him go." Captain ordered. "He got no obligation to stay."

"Damn straight."


	9. Chapter 9 Twin Dragons

Chapter 9 – Twin Dragons

Douglas Loe sat at a desk in the back room of a flower shop, somewhere in the bustling downtown of Osiris' Capital City. The aroma of dirt and peat, babies breath, irises and roses, filled the room. He breathed in deeply, letting the cleansing breath go slowly, as he sat. He filed several piles of papers into folders and the folders into boxes for shipping. He pondered the irony of running the Black Lotus Society from such a pleasant backdrop as this when a knock came on the door. His hand instinctively drifted to the butt of his gun, lying on the table in front of him.

"Come."

Thew entered and fell into an immediate bow. "Sir."

"Yes Commander."

The commander looked hesitant. He had been in this position many times in the past, reporting good news or even reporting bad. This had never been a problem for him. But this time he was not reporting fact, he was there to offer an opinion. This was something he was far less comfortable doing and one he had no concept of the outcome.

"Sir – Could I speak honestly?"

"I should hope so Commander."

"Sir, I feel this course of action is ill advised. This shen chou (vendetta) on the Tam family." He hesitated again, picking his words carefully. "It is a backward looking course that jeopardizes the assets you have in place."

"Explain."

"The society has an infrastructure that is ubiquitous throughout the core and much of the boarder planets. Our military assets are not what they could have been, but our financial liquidity and communications infrastructure are second only to the government."

"And your point?"

"This vendetta against the Tam's is a course of folly. They are too well defended. You know this from the past, from Persephone. Depleting those assets pursuing old adversaries or seeking retribution will undermine the foundations of what you have."

"And what exactly is it you see that I have – Commander?"

"Sir. You have the foundations of a financial, commercial and political empire that could put the Loe family back into power within only a few generations. Your father's work would not have been wasted, due to your brother's miss fortune."

"Thew, have you ever wondered why I kept you on – out of all the officers in my command?"

"Sir?"

"You have good sight Alle. Here." The Boss thumped his chest over his heart. " You have been loyal to my brother's family, and to me, even though I am a created man. So I will tell you why this course of action is necessary for the future of the Loe family.

Thew sat down across from his former captain at his urging and took off his dark glasses and hat.

"There is always a balance of Yin and Yang, Law and Chaos." The crime boss explained. "Loe has always pursued the course of order and control, as my brother and his father before had done. President Jacobs is a champion of personal freedoms and free market economies, a proponent of forces controlling them selves. He is a master of Chaos."

Thew nodded in understanding. "I see, but Tam is an ordered man? Why are we burning so much energy to silence the pawn they used to convict your brother?" Alle hesitated again, measuring his words. "It is too reminiscent of your brother's folly with this Firefly on Persephone."

"Have you not wondered why this Firefly keeps coming into our story, Alle?" Loe spoke quietly now, as if trying to keep a secret from the spirits of the ancestors. "This firefly called Serenity - it is a focal point of fate. In itself it is unimportant, but it is important in illuminating the truth."

"Sir, what is this truth?"

"Yes - Tam is also a proponent of Law, like Loe, But Tam is a foil to Loe. I have seen it in the past; these families have been a foil to each other for generations. We have been colleagues, allies and even friends – but always we have been foils to one another. Our family will never rise to dominance if this foil is allowed to exist. It is for this reason that all the Tams must die. It is for the future of the Loe family that I am pursuing this vendetta."

"I see Sir." Alle conceded the course – but not the method. "But this man, this young blond – he is not the dragon you are looking for. He is a bay shark and he kills for no purpose or greater good. He kills because he likes it. I fear he can't be controlled."

"The path of the Loe family's future is a dangerous path, filled with many risks." Loe explained. "As you said, we have lost our military assets. We must rely on weaker methods to prevail. When a weapon like this comes along it must be used. Tam has his dragon, his instrument of fate, in Serenity and I have mine in Donovan."


	10. Chapter 10 Disappointment

Chapter 10 – Disappointment

Donovan watched with disappointment as Serenity lifted off the ground and disappeared into the pink Osiris sunset. He hated when his plans went airy, especially when he had gone through so much trouble in the first place to arrange them. He looked down at his leg and rubbed the still tender scar beneath his coat. He was willing to suffer some pain to reach his goals, that was certain, but that didn't make the prospect any more pleasant.

He had expected Serenity to stay a little longer, or at least to leave the Tams behind with their grieving father. Had he calculate wrong? Was the riff between father and son wider, or the love for his mother less than he'd figured? Was River less of a Dad's girl than he'd come to believe? How could Simon have left after just one day? How could Gabriel have let River go?

Donovan had spent three years trying to track down River and her medaling brother. That was not easy doing odd jobs and petty crime. At least the Lotus gave him expenses. What he had learned was that civilized people where perhaps the least civilized things in the Verse, and that if you are different, be prepared to confront the animal nature of civilization.

Well, not all was lost. He would just have to change his plan. The big one they called Jayne had not left with the others. That held possibilities. And Donovan still had Gabriel. He had made them come to him once. He could do it again.

Donovan would have to change his arrangement with Loe. Using Gabriel Tam as a lure was not what the infamous Douglass Loe had intended. But he had to do what he had to do. And that was to get River Tam back on Osiris.

He pondered the prospects of crossing Loe. That could also be unpleasant, and that driver – Thew - could be an issue. He was not a fool, like the others he'd encountered from the Lotus. He would be a challenge. But none of these problems were insurmountable.

The man looked up at the pretty pink contrail of Serenity's exit and sighed. Things would work out. They always had in the past and he was sure they always would. He walked into the darkness, nonetheless, disappointed.


	11. Chapter 11 Jax

Chapter 11 – Jax

Zoe stood on the gangway at the top of the steps, watching River as she sat cross-legged on top of a large wooden crate full of balsamroot. She'd been watching her play with a set of jax for near an hour. Something about her playing caught her eye.

Initially it was the simple joy that emanated from the girl as she tossed the ball and snatched the jax. It reminded her of much earlier time and sisters that were only memories now. But as she watched she started to notice things. Small things at first, a wiggle or a flit but just enough to make the whole thing look wrong to her. The ball is too slow one time. The jax gather into a bunch just before her hand got there another time. River spent far too much time contemplating the space between the ball and the crate top. It was all too odd.

River looked up at her and smiled sweetly. A moment later Kaylee came running past and down the stairs.

"No fair!" She exclaimed as she reached the bottom. "You've been practicing."

Kaylee had been doing her best to distract River and Simon from their loss since they'd left Osiris. She was working overtime running from River, to the Infirmary, to the engine room and back to River. _Her heart's in the right place_, Zoe thought, but she wasn't sure how effective it was. Where she got the energy was a mystery to the warrior.

"Just a little." River defended.

"Move over." Kaylee demanded, as she climbed on the crate. "Make room for me."

Mal walked up beside Zoe, leaning on the rail next to her. The two watched Kaylee and River play for an awkward minute until Mal started wondering exactly what he was doing, watching a jax contest.

"We're all set for Boros. Should be about fifteen – sixteen hours or so till we break void." Mal broke the silence, but Zoe still seemed distracted. "We can check on corrections when we get out."

"Good sir." She finally said.

"You Ok Zoe?"

"It's probably nothing sir, but I was just noticing something odd about River lately."

"Just!" Mal coughed out the word as if this was the funniest thing he'd heard in a week. Partly because - it was the funniest thing he had heard in a week.

"No sir – that's not what I mean – I don't know sir. There is something dark there."

Mal looked down at the two girls on top of the huge crate, playing and laughing.

"Yes - I can see it now." He said thoughtfully. "Down right evil I'd say."

Zoe realized how ridiculous this was all sounding and opted to keep this peculiar feeling to herself.

"Like I said sir, probably nothing."

They stood for another minute watching as the girls finished their game.

"You win again." Kaylee conceded. "But we do it again on my turf, after I trim the cell-valves."

"Ok." River agreed sweetly.

Kaylee charged up the stairs with River following behind in a slow and even walk. She watched Zoe carefully as she ascended, almost as if she expected a rebuke.

"I didn't cheat." She said. When she reached the top. "I didn't."

Mal looked at Zoe as River drifted after Kaylee. His first officer looked shaken.

"How exactly do you cheat at jax anyway?" Mal asked, to lighten the mood. He knew River tended to get under Zoe's skin and he needed her to be in the here and now.

"Like I said sir, probably nothing."


	12. Chapter 12 Cutting Bait

Chapter 12 – Cutting Bait

Loe slammed his fist on the table in anger. The Cortex new was covering the story on all channels all over the planet and he was finding out the worst way possible. _The Black Lotus Society has kidnapped the Minister of Finance and is holding him ransom for an undisclosed amount._ He slammed the table again.

He did not want to stay tuned for the 2600 report. He did not want to here all the details with Brian or the zhou ma (damned) analysis from Katie. He did not want to hear anything but Minister Gabriel Tam was dead.

The VidCom sounded. He hit it hard enough to shake the table.

"Talk." Loe snapped, as the young blond man's face came into focus.

"Good evening, Sir. I thought I'd call you and tell you about my little change in plans." He hesitated for a second or two. "… or have you already seen it on the news?"

"Where is Tam?"

"Don't worry – he's safe."

"I did not hire you to make me the most wanted man in the 'Verse'," Loe yelled. "I hire you to do three simple killings."

"Simple, you call this simple?" Donovan said incredulously. "… and I believe you are already the most wanted man in the Verse – so, no harm, no foul."

Commander Thew entered the room, gun drawn, alerted by the sound of his boss pounding and screaming. Loe settled him with a wave of his hand but beckoned him to stay and be quiet.

"We have a contract, three kills. Nowhere does it say kidnap the Minister and extort money out of the government."

"Well two of those kills left Osiris for parts unknown and frankly I am too lazy to track them down. This was the easies way to make sure they'd come back. Then I can take care of all three Tams at one time."

"Bring Tam to me. He is mine." Loe persisted.

"When I am done with him – you can have him." Donovan warned. "… and don't bother trying to find us, you'll just get yourself all shot up."

"Donovan," Loe was simmering on a medium boil.

Call you later." The vidcom went black.

Loe held his head in his hands. The headache he had developed was apparent.

"You can tell me I told you so now, Thew."

"Sir, don't let his sickness overtake you. You are Black Heart in name, head of the Black Lotus. Donovan is truly the Black Heart, he is sick. Don't let him draw you into his disease."

"I don't see another way."

"Let him go, let Tam go. He will likely kill them anyways. Put out a statement from the Black Lotus denying responsibility, and put your seal on it so it is undeniable. Let them know about Tam's wife and let the authorities know whom they are dealing with. Cut your losses. Wash your hands of the matter."

"But Tam, the foil must be removed."

"There will be time." Thew advised. "I will find them and we will let the Alliance deal with Donovan."


	13. Chapter 13 The Broadcast

Chapter 13 – The Broadcast

The room was large and dark, except for a single light hanging over a folding metal table in the middle. It was impossible to see the walls from the middle, almost like staring out into the nothing at the edge. One man sat tied up in a chair behind a vidcom, while another man was trudging around the room arranging things, preparing for his next ransom call to the Alliance. If he played things right he'd make the interstellar cortex, which was just what he wanted. Every news agency in the Verse would be running it.

Donovan ripped the tape off of Tam's mouth, and grimaced as he walked around the table. He dropped a small medical bag on the surface before turning a chair around backwards and sitting.

"Are you ready for your début Minister?"

"Who are you? Why are you doing this?"

"Trust me Minister, if I told you I'd have to kill you." The blond laughed, though he was in obvious pain. "Or at least you'd be a lot less likely to play along."

"And what exactly is it that you want me to do?"

"Look into the vidcom and tell them I'm dangerous and I'm going to kill you." Donovan said as he pulled out a foam mat from the bag. "You know – the truth."

The kidnapper cleaned off a scalpel with some alcohol and laid it on the mat.

"What do plan to do with that?"

"You think I'm going to torture you?" Donovan laughed again. "I hardly think I need to torture you into telling the truth."

"Then what is the scalpel …"

"Just something they taught me at the academy." He continued to lay out a straight and curved hemostat and a box of sanitary gauze and tape.

"The Naval Academy?"

"No."

"What Academy?" Tam snapped in frustration. Why was this man playing with him? Why didn't he just kill him and be done with it?

"The Academy where you sent your daughter, of course. Where I first met River. Surely you know now what they were doing there?"

"You knew River?"

"Sure – best of friends – once."

"No, I don't know what they did." Tam admitted. "I've been looking for weeks, but all records have been expunged."

"They were developing weapons Minister, human weapons, each with there own special capability. Mine was to heal, because I was meant to be a soldier."

Donovan lifted his shirt to reveal an ugly old gunshot wound. He took the scalpel and reopened the wound in his side.

"What are you doing?"

The man then took up the straight hemostat and winced as he dug a bullet from between his ribs. He dropped the bullet on the table. As soon as it clanked on the metal surface the wound began to close up and heal. Gabriel Tan fell silent, visibly shaken by the apparent miracle.

"Ah. That's better." Donovan sighed.

"What are you?" Gabriel Tam watched in horror.

"Oh Minister. You hurt me. I am just like your daughter, your precious River. Only I was developed to kill on a battkefield and your sweat little girl was designed to be an assassin. Funny how thing turn out. Unintended consequences."

"What are you talking about?"

"See, River was being programmed for special operations, information extraction, asset liquidation, those sorts of operations. Special all round, not like us others. They taught us all different things. But she started learning things that they weren't teaching her. That made her special. That made her dangerous. But she always was an overachiever – wasn't she Gabriel."

An alarm went off on Donovan's wrist. It was time. Donovan put the Minister if front of the vid for the Federals to see, with an instant dup to a local feed, to leak it to the press. He had the obligatory mechanical voice and the threatening demands, everything you need for good News. And Gabriel played his part not matter how hard he tried to confound his captor. When they were finished, Donovan shut down the comms and stowed the props.

"I don't know what your up to but you won't get away with it." Gabriel said as Donovan packed the equipment.

"How refreshingly trite." Donovan quipped. "Would you like to know Gabriel – before you're so quick to announce my inevitable doom. Would you like to know what I am up to?"

Gabriel sat quietly now, not wanting to agitate the boy any more than he apparently already had.

"As you may have noticed, I am a bit of a – how do I put it – freak. Once people find out about me, and you'd be surprised how fast that happens, no one will keep me on. Not even the Black Lotus Society will have me without an inevitable betrayal."

"I thought you were Black Lotus."

"No Minister, not me. But like the others of my kind I am a marked man. We all were marked from the time your genius of a son stole his sister away from the academy. It all fell apart after that. I watched many of those like me die at the hands of our creators. Just so some politician like you could have plausible deniability. Oh yes – the reward for our compliance, our sacrifice, our successes and triumphs. They killed us all."

"But you - ?"

"They thought they had killed me too, but they hadn't read the files. They should have known that I would heal, but they were in a hurry to get rid of us. They were sloppy."

Gabriel felt a pang of guilt, as he finally understood why Simon and River were still on the run. Donovan was right. No civilized community would have them for long.

"Ah yes – they missed me and they missed River Tam, the cause of the slaughter."

"How can you blame her for the folly of the Alliance?"

"The Alliance had things under control. They had a place for every one of us. A life." Donovan sounded almost wistful. "You see, I have simple wants and needs. I just wanted a place to live – to belong – you know, like anyone else, like your River. Standard hu che (crap). All I want now is revenge. All I want now is to kill Simon and River Tam."

"Why?"

"Simple – they ruined my live." He stated plainly. "Like I said – I'm a simple man. I once had a future and now I have nothing. On top of that, the only thing I am suited for is killing, which by the way I do very well, and I won't be sloppy."

"Well you have missed them." Gabriel said defiantly. "They have already left."

"Ah – but I called them here once and I can do it again."

"What are you talking about." Gabriel retorted. "I wrote Simon because…"

"Because I killed your wife, Minister - their Mother?" Donovan said knowingly, as Gabriel sat in shock. "and they will come again, not only because that Vidcom was broadcast across the Verse, but because they love you, they need you. You're all they have left."


	14. Chapter 14 Not What We Planned

**Chapter 14 – Not what we planned**

Zoe entered the bridge as Mal lifted Serenity from the slip on Boros. They'd picked up the second lot from Abernathy with no trouble. He was pleased to deal with Zoe alone this time. Somehow he didn't think Mal was on the up and up.

"Everything go smoothly?" Mal Asked.

"No problems Sir." Zoe replied. "He was surprised to see us back so soon."

"Good."

"Abernathy liked your idea of sell this lot on Muir instead of the main holders on Dyton, got him and his a noticeable increase on the profit line."

"Did he happen to translate that into a higher fee for our part?"

"No Sir. But he said he'd think of us next season, when ship time comes."

"Very kind." Mal frowned and set the shims with a slap. He sat back in the pilot's chair and took in a deep cleansing breath.

"Any body tailing me?" Zoe asked.

"Nope." Mal said flatly. "Not a soul."

"Lotus doesn't seem too interested in us, do they?"

The two sat in silence for a bit, as Mal maneuvered the firefly by a wisp of high clouds and through the cobalt blue of the upper atmo. Within a minute they were in the dark black and headed to the void.

"I hate to be the one pointing this out, Sir." Zoe said. "But we're still losing crew over those two – River and Simon."

"I know." Mal response was sober.

They looked at each other again for a long while.

"Jayne was an asset, Sir." Zoe finally admitted.

Mal nodded and looked down at the console. He had a lot on his mind, not the least of which was the timeline between now and when Inara had to leave. Adding the Black Lotus into the mix and Jayne's leaving hadn't made things any easier.

"I know this ain't what you signed up for Zoe – but things have gotten all turned around."

"That happens Sir."

"I got a place on Harvest for Inara and – well – the kid when it comes time. You me and Kaylee can run things for a while, based out of there – you know, if River and Simon cut loose." Mal shook his head. "It ain't what we planned."

"It never is. Sir. But we make do."

For the first time Zoe pondered the prospects of being on her own, no Captain Reynolds to serve, no crew to protect, no Serenity to call home. Mal was preparing for a future that was thrust on him, a future as a father and perhaps a rancher on Harvest. Zoe rubbed the back of the pilot's chair absently, wondering what she would do if this all went away, The notion cut deeper than she'd thought. She was surprised as a small tear traced over her left check and quickly brushed it away.

"We'll make do, Sir."


	15. Chapter 15 The Escape Clause

Chapter 15 – The Escape Clause

Gabriel Tam had been working the plastic tie-wrap that held his hands, up and down against the wooden chair since Donovan left an hour earlier. The tape over his mouth made it hard to breath and the blisters on his wrists were starting to bleed, but Tam was determined to escape before that monster, Donovan, returned.

A door burst open across the chamber, opening a small square of light in a vast expanse of darkness. A lone figure came through the breach in a low crouch. He moved swiftly from side to side in what Tam considered a random fashion. A red laser beam flashed around the room _like a small faerie_, Tam thought, _a faerie of death_. The evil pixie eventually settled on Tam's forehead, after painting every other possible living thing in the room. Tam prepared himself for the shot, but it didn't come.

"Where is Donovan?"

"Uhm." Gabriel shrugged.

The assassin stepped over to the bound man and ripped the tape from his mouth. The flitting red pixie never left his forehead in the action.

"Are you Lotus?"

"What gave it away?" The man responded sarcastically, from under the black face mask. "Donovan?"

"He left an hour ago." Tam blurted. "He said he had a contract to cancel."

The assassin hesitated for a minute, as the faerie danced between Gabriel's eyes. He looked as if he were deciphering a complex puzzle. Suddenly the man dropped his weapon to his side and pulled out a knife. He cut the Ministers ties, unbinding his feet then his hands.

"There is a compound two blocks north," he pointed. "Follow the elevated and you can't miss it. Go there and you will be safe."

Gabriel stumbled to the door.

"You can't kill him, you know. The man is a monster. They - we made him into a monster."

The assassin's eyes registered the question that his covered face could not convey.

"We made him regenerate." Tam warned as he reached the door. "His wounds heal. He can't be killed."

"Everyone has a weakness."

"Yes but, this one – He's evil."

"I know." The man replied.

Tam hesitated again. "Why haven't you killed me? I know there must be a contract."

"The Black Lotus was never about killing for the sake of death." The dark figure behind him explained. "That is Donovan's way. We are about maintaining a balance and I am afraid that the balance has been tipped. If I am right, Mr Tam, you are still needed."

"I see." Gabriel lied.

"If I am wrong, I will see you again, later. If I am right – well – it has been nice knowing you."

"Here's to hoping you are right." Tam said as he left.


	16. Chapter 16 A New Understanding

Chapter 16 – A New Understanding

Donovan stood over Douglas Loe's dead body facing Alle Thew, fresh blood dripping from the edge of his hook swords. Thew clearly had him in the cross-hairs of a very lethal weapon, one that would leave little bits of the youth all over the room, but it came too late. They both stood there for a minute assessing their options.

"It took me four damn days to figure out how to snatch Tam without getting caught and all the while Loe badgering me to kill the guy. Lord Loe was a pest."

"He was known to be persistent." Thew replied sadly.

"All that and you just let him go." Donovan declared incredulously.

"It seemed the right thing to do at the time."

"Well, no matter. I am sure that the magic of the media has already been at work. My target is likely on its way back here as we speak."

"So – Shall we see who walks away from here alive, or shall we talk some more?" The laser beam stuck to Donovans chest, just over his heart, like it was pinned to his shirt. It hung there as if it knew something. Something no-one else was supposed to know.

"Talking is good." Donovan suggested.

"I don't want to have to kill you." Thew stated. "The reasons are not right."

"Likewise."

"I like the idea of dying less."

"As do I." Donovan agreed. "I don't assess my chances as being that good in this situation. Might I suggest a deal."

"Suggest away."

"I have everything that I want. Hows about I leave you the Black Lotus Society and you leave me be."

"Talk."

"No one would contest you for control, given your history. Loyal since the days of dear old dad. You can do whatever you want with it. No strings – I got no interest."

"And that leaving be thing – that cuts both ways?" Thew asked.

"Naturally."

"You much into contracts?" Thew asked lowering his weapon.

Donovan sheathed his hook swords. "Wouldn't have it any other way."

"I'll have the chapter draw it up. You can drop by tomorrow and sign. Incidentally – I won't be there."

Donovan turned to leave then paused. "Just out of curiosity – what are your plans for the Black Lotus? The future."

"Banking." Thew said thoughtfully.


	17. Chapter 17 Alone

Chapter 17 – Alone

Jayne sat in the middle of a noisy, smoky bar, staring into his half empty glass of beer and wondering if he'd made the right decision jumping ship on a core planet. There was no doubt, this was a lively and lucrative place, but it was also an expensive place and one with lots of oversight and controls, namely police. For sure he was enjoying himself immensely. There were girls enough on Osiris for every day of the week, and pretty ones too. But he didn't like the added pressure of having to find his own work. He'd underestimated the amount of work Mal had put into that aspect of daily living.

He'd also decided that too much 'Human Companionship' could be just as bad as not enough. A new whore every night soon got him into a reasonable amount of female un-pleasantries that drove him out of two of his favorite place and into this new bar, despite his assurances that there was enough of him to go around. The famous Jayne Cobb was apparently something that was to be horded, here on Osiris. Fame, he was starting to realize, was not always a positive. Just try getting some good dishonest work when you have the reputation of Robin Hood.

A young blond, pretty-boy came up to him, as he sat drinking alone. "Say – aint you…?"

"No!" Jayne growled. "Get lost kid."

.

.-

Zoe was just finishing up with the Harvest calculations when Mal entered the bridge. Her mind was full of all the uncertainty associated with being the last one off a sinking ship. The warrior had mulled it over in her head again and again, and this was the only conclusion. She was reasonably sure Mal and Inara had found a place on Harvest to settle down. Jayne had already struck out on his own, Kaylee, and for that matter Simon and River, where likely headed home. Since Wash was gone, that left her – where exactly?

Zoe didn't like this feeling. It was fluttering in her gut and needed resolution. She had to let It out before she killed someone. She quickly entered the last numbers and turned to the captain.

"Sir, if you have a minute?"

Mal looked around him, wondering what other business he could possibly have.

"Sure, what's on your mind?" He asked, dropping into the copilots chair across from her.

"Sir," Zoe struggled with the words and how exactly to broach the subject. "I know you probably need the capital, for the cattle and the range speeders, not to mention the building supplied and the hired hands, but could you see your way to – maybe would you consider, selling me Serenity? I can't put much down but you know I good for …"

"Cattle! What the hell are you talking about?" Mal exclaimed, "I ain't selling you my ship!"

"When you and Inara…" Zoe stopped, sensing she had drifted way off course.

Mal had truly never seen Zoe blush before, but the fact that he could not get up off the floor for all the laughing he was doing tipped her off that she was. He obviously had no intention of starting a ranch or settling down.

Kaylee, having heard the outburst from the engine room, came to join them to see what the ruckus was all about.

Mal eventually fought back the tears and belly convulsions enough to ask. "What in tian gou di heaven and earth gave you the idea that I was settling down?"

"Harvest – the land …"

"You didn't tell her?" Kaylee scolded the captain.

"Didn't have a chance."

"Tell me what?"

"Cap'n didn't buy no ranch on Harvest, Zoe." Kaylee explained sweetly. "He bought Inara's new Companion School. We're gonna build it."

"Truth be told, Inara bought it. I just made the arrangements."

Zoe's mouth hung open, not exactly knowing how to react to the news. Half of her wanted to hug the captain and the other half wanted to kill him. Zoe just sank back into the pilot's chair as Kaylee gave Mal a swift kick in the shin. She'd have kicked him again if they weren't interrupted.

"**Mal! Turn on the cortex. Now!"** Inara's voice over the intercom sounded almost panicked.

They all watched the broadcast in silence and shock. None of them could believe it possible, kidnapped with all the security that surrounded the Minister. But there he was, right in front of them on the cortex news.

"When did this hit the cortex? Did they say?"

"**Today Mal. But it happened when we were in Boros."**

"Where are Simon and River?" Mal asked.

Simon entered the bridge as they spoke, to see what was going on.

"River is sleeping, captain, but I'm right here." He replied, unaware of what was going on around him. "What? What is it?"

"They took your dad, Simon." Kaylee blurted, near tears. "They kidnapped him."


	18. Chapter 18 The Lions Den

Chapter 18 – The lions den

Mal and Zoe had the calculations for Osiris done and the nav-comp programmed in a matter of minutes. There was no question about there return to Osiris from anyone on the crew. The decision was unspoken and immediate. Kaylee and Simon went to break the news to River, while the captain and Zoe pondered what they might do when the arrived.

"None of this adds up." Mal complained to his first mate.

"Sir?"

"They kill the Mother – but kidnap the father, the Minister." Mal continued. "What's that say to you?"

Zoe considered for a moment. "The Minister is not what they're after."

"Right."

"It tells me they want Simon and River, Sir."

"Exactly – and we are bringing them right back to whoever is pulling the strings."

"You don't think it's the Lotus, Sir?" She asked.

"They have contacts all over Tarnation." He observed. "If they wanted them …"

"Right. No attacks on Boros or Dyton or Muir. Nothing. Who ever wants them is stuck on Osiris." Zoe completed the captain's idea.

"Cortex says the Lotus formally deny responsibility."

"If you believe that kind of thing." Zoe remarked.

"I'd say River's friend Donovan has gone rouge." Mal suggested. "He may have been with the Lotus, but he's not now."

"Scary thought, Sir. So what's your plan?"

"I got no rudder here. Just see how it plays out." He answered. "We're not calling the shots here."

"Sure wish Jayne were here."

"Me too."

"**Mal? Zoe?"** Inara's voice over the intercom sounded stranded and alone.

"Best go tell her where we're going." Mal said. "She ain't a big fan of gun-play."

***

"Inara …" Mal stood in the door of her shuttle with a worried look on his face.

"Mal there's no need to worry, I can still fly this thing and the Guild is the safest place on the planet."

"I know. You're a big girl. But would you take Kaylee with you?" Mal asked. "I don't want her in harm's way if things go bad here."

"Are you kidding, she is dying to go with me." Inara struggled up from the love seat, wondering what on earth he thought might go wrong, and headed to the shuttle controls. "She won't even notice your noble gesture."

"Noble?" Mal mused as he helped the expectant mother to the console. He reached for the nav-comp to program the waypoints. "Let me do that."

Inara slapped him on the back of the hand. "Go!" She ordered. "Tell Kaylee she is welcome to come."

"Already did." He replied as she glared back at him. "Are you sure you can handle it."

"Get Out!"

As the captain ducked through the hatch onto the gang way an excited Kaylee bounced up to him and kissed him on the cheek.

"Thanks Cap'n."

"You keep an eye on her, hear?"

"Yes Cap'n." She said as she jumped through the hatch into Inara's shuttle. "He's such a nice man."

"He's a manipulative scoundrel." Inara laughed.


	19. Chapter 19 A Cry for Help

Chapter 19 – A Cry for Help

Jayne Cobb staggered into the back alley behind the bar, either too drunk or too lazy to walk to the front doors. He just left from the bathrooms though the closest exit he could find. He'd had his fill of this place and was headed back to his hostel room, that is, if he could find it. Of the six days he'd been on his own, Jayne hadn't actually spent a night there yet, but he was reasonably sure he could find it. A young blond man followed Jayne into the alley obviously wanting to talk to him.

"Mr Cobb?"

"Huh."

"Are you Jayne Cobb?" The young man asked respectfully. "The one that used to sail with Serenity?"

"Yeah, used too."

"Could I have a word with you?"

"Why?"

"Because, it turns out that Serenity is back in port."

"Hey - ain't you that kid that I told to buzz-off earlier?"

"Yes, that would be me."

"Well – buzz-off. Again."

"I'm afraid I can't do that." The young man said, pulling a pair of hook swords from his back slowly.

"Why?"

"Because I need your help."

"Say you ain't that 'jingo in the head' friend of River Tam's is you? Donny what's-his-name?"

"School mate. Dono-" Donovan started.

Jayne wheeled around and let his knife fly, impaling Donovan mid chest. The boy fell to his knees, gurgling and sputtering, as Jayne swaggered over to retrieve his knife.

"Now that was just too easy." He complained.

Jayne stood over the boy, grumbling about having to clean his knife. As he reached for the butt, Donovan pulled the knife out from his own chest and stabbed Jayne in the gut with it. The big man staggered back, stunned.

"Ha. The great Jayne Cobb, dying in an alley behind a whore house. How appropriate." Donovan laughed.

"Ugh." Jayne slumped against the wall.

"What was that, Jayne? You want to know how? Donovan lifted his shirt and showed Jayne he remainder of his wound closing up and healing in front of his eyes. "We were not all like River, you know. We all got different skills, different gifts."

"Uh."

"What was that. You want to know why? I said I needed your help Mr. Cobb." Donovan twisted the knife

"Ah!"

"I didn't say it had to be willing."

"Go to hell" He spat the words out.

"Ok then. Slow and painful it is." He said jamming the knife in to the hilt."

"Ahhh." Jayne collapsed to the ground quivering.


	20. Chapter 20 The Guild

Chapter 20 – The Guild

Inara set her shuttle down at the guild visitor's platform, as was required when she brought a visitor with her. The compound was large and normally she would dock in the private platform, closer to the inner court. The visitor port wasn't far from the inner court, where Inara's meeting was scheduled and it was a pleasant walk, though any walk nowadays was less than pleasant for Inara.

The sun still shown brightly and the breeze blew pleasantly out of the northwest. They had at least two hours of light left so the two women walked slowly enjoying the remaining day as they crossed the promenade. Kaylee was as excited as a child at the zoo, while Inara was careful to keep her from being over exuberant. That would not have been fitting at the guild.

As they meandered across the open gardens of the outer grounds, a man approached them at an equal pace from the opposite direction. Initially Inara mistook the man for an usher from the guild, but as he stopped in front of them she quickly realized he was not.

"Miss Serra, I have news." He said with a polite bow.

"I beg your pardon?"

"Gabriel Tam is safe, he is inside, for now. But your compatriots are not safe. Serenity is not safe"

"What are you talking about?"

"Do not return to Serenity when you are done here." The man warned. "Stay here or go to the Hospital instead, if you must. It will be safer."

"Who are you? How did you get in here?" Inara demanded, loud enough for those around to hear.

"My pardon Miss Serra, but I wanted to give you this, it is for you and your captain."

The man handed her an envelope then turned to leave. Inara opened it immediately and pulled out a contract. There was a Black Lotus flower in the upper right corner. All Serenity's crew was listed on the contract, including her and Kaylee.

"Stop!" She called after the man. "What does this mean?"

"It means we are getting out of the business, Miss Serra. The contract is void."


	21. Chapter 21 Bait

Chapter 21 – Bait

Simon followed Mal through the upper hallway to the aft stairs leading to the Infirmary. He was obviously not pleased with the captain's decision.

"You know the drill Doc. Get what you think you'll need up to the galley." He ordered, stopping at the top of the stair. Mal looked back to the galley where River, who seemed to be meditating, was sitting at the table.

Simon just seemed confused by the whole thing. "How is this going to find my father?"

"River you be ready to take us out of here." Mal continued, ignoring the doctor. "If there's as strike unit out there, we'll just take her out to close orbit – wait for Inara there." He mumbled the latter as if to himself, as he formulated his plan.

"Yes Captain." River nodded.

Serenity had made its final approach and settled into a slot in the northeast small craft port after two hours of sitting in a holding pattern. This no doubt was due to a combination of bureaucratic mismanagement and a total disregard for the concerns of the small businessman. A fortune in fuel must be wasted daily on these delays. By the time they touched down the sun was waning and Mal was in no mood for conversation.

"Captain." Simon persisted. "I just don't see how preparing for a gun fight will help."

"We're not here to find your father." Mal snapped. "He is not the target."

"What are you saying?" Simon asked.

"Donovan doesn't want to kill Father, Simon. He wants to kill us." River put her hand on her brother's shoulder as she looked up into his eyes.

"River?"

"He killed Mother to get us here. He took Father to get us back."

"River is right." Mal confirmed.

"So why don't we go to the authorities? What can we do that they can't do?" Simon asked. "What do we have?"

"We have you and me, Simon. We have bait." River answered.

Mal headed down the steps to the passenger's lounge. Zoe was already in the cargo hold, waiting for him at the rear hatch.

"Zoe!"

"Yes Sir."

"Let's set up the firing line different this time." Mal pointed to either side. "Set up a cross fire."

"We could use Jayne right now," Zoe observed.

"This is ludicrous." Simon objected. "We're in Capital City. They're not going to attack us with an army."

"Frankly Doctor, I don't know what to expect." Mal barked turning on the man that was hounding his steps. "But I'd rather have some cover ready if the unexpected happens. So you just get your things up to the galley and we'll figure out the rest later."

Mal proceeded on to the airlock while Simon reluctantly complied, heading off to the Infirmary. He took a quick glance through the window first, nothing, then he hit the open button. The airlock opened with its characteristic whoosh of air, followed by an uncharacteristic thunk. Mal wheeled around, gun in hand to face what ever might be there, but no one was in his gun sight. On the deck, underneath his outstretched weapon, Jayne lay writhing in a pool of his own blood. Mal quickly dropped to his side.

"Zoe! Get the Doc back here!"

"He's – a devil Mal." Jayne croaked out, as he quivered. "He - ain't – human."

"Don't talk Jayne." The captain ordered. "You were never good at it anyways, so save your energy."

Jayne had been cut every which way a man can and still be alive.

"He won't stop til River and Simon is dead." The big man struggled. "Why the – hell did – you come…?"

"We missed you something terrible." Mal replied. "Zoe!"

Zoe showed up with the doctor in less than a minute. Simon immediately opened his bag and injected Jayne with a painkiller and narcotic. He pulled several implements out of his bag and busied himself patching the masses of wounds and traumas the big man had sustained. River drifted down to the platform at the back of the cargo hold and stood staring out the airlock.

"He's watching."

"I need to get him to the hospital." Simon demanded.

"He wants to divide us up – kill us slowly."

"Well he's gotten his wish." Simon snapped. "Jayne's got to go now or he'll die."

"Zoe. You stay here. Lock this up tight and don't let anyone in til we get back" Mal ordered. "I'm going with the doctor. He's likely to be first target and – well – keep an eye on River."

"Yes Sir."

"Doc, help me get him on the mule."

"Carefully." Simon warned.

Within seconds the mule sped away with the captain, doctor and patient onboard. The airlock was closed up so tight that even a thought could not get in.

Zoe readied her rifle and settled uncomfortably on a low crate, while River walked slowly down onto the deck. For the first time, Zoe noticed a pair of ornate sword handles rising from behind the girls left shoulder. She found it strangely reassuring, as the two stood for a minute in silence.

"Something is on your mind – I can tell." River observed.

Zoe went down the checklist in her head while ensuring her rifle magazine was full. Airlock shut, top hatch secure, Wash…

"He is safe." River assured. "You know that don't you?"

"I – I was just," Zoe hesitated. River always made her – uneasy.

"You want to ask me something. You've wanted to for some time."

"How did …?" Zoe started. The mysterious girl could see it in her and Zoe knew she could.

"Does that scare you?"

"Frankly yes." Zoe responded quietly.

"You should ask anyways. It will calm your mind."

"I'm not altogether sure that it would."

"You've been waiting for the right time. This seems to be the right time." River looked around. No one was on board but them.

Zoe paused, trying to come up with the right way of asking. She leaned back against a large wooden crate and looked down at the gun in her hands. How much control did she really have here. If this guy was like River, would the gun really matter? She resolved to ask, and think about protecting River later.

"That night – on the way to Boros two week back – what did you do?"

River smiled, her eyes widened intensely at first, then a look of fear came into her eyes, which unsettled the warrior woman more than the maniacal grin. The girl proceeded to look down at her hands and shiver.

"It started with my fingers. I thought about them for a long time. I'd never really thought about them before – but it makes sense, you see – they're not really there." She looked up at Zoe quickly, as if to clarify. "They are but they're not, you see, they're just energy."

Zoe concentrated hard on what River was saying. It was making little sense to her, but she wanted to know, she needed to know. Zoe encouraged her to go on.

"Well they are just ripples on a pond. Lots of ripples, tiny ripples but - the pond isn't water and the ridges are me." She paused briefly, almost as if she were building up the courage to tell the warrior, her protector, her friend what had happened. "It's all a pattern, I am a pattern – a pattern of ripples on the dark matter. I – I moved my pattern. Put it somewhere else."

"You teleported?" Zoe eyes opened wide as she fished for confirmation.

"Don't make me do it again." River pleaded, desperately. "I didn't like it there. I don't want to go back."

"Woe. Woe there honey." Zoe put out both hands in a stopping motion and marveled at how much like Wash she was sounding. "No one is going to make you do anything."

"I didn't like it there – it hurt. I didn't like it."

River was crying now uncontrollably, something Zoe did not have lots of experience with. Zoe reached out and hugged the pleading girl, completely uncomfortable with what she was doing, but clearly pleased with the effect. The girl calmed down immediately. River wrapped her arms around the warrior and buried her face in her chest. Zoe patted her lightly on the back, almost experimentally. This too seemed to work.

"Where, River?"

"It was nowhere. It was everywhere." Her tremors waned as she settled in Zoe's arms. "There was joy there, but all the empty places in you hurt – oh, they hurt. Don't make me …"

"Shh, Honey. You don't have to go anywhere."

Zoe had been to the darkest places in the verse and returned. She had been to abject poverty, war, hell on earth, the deepest pits of hatred and complete sorrow and she'd survived. The woman didn't fear them anymore. But there was more to this place.

"If you go there, don't go there with hate, or want. Don't go there with want or need or, or hate." River mumbled. "It will rip you apart."

Zoe held the girl tighter and she quieted. In her arms she held the strangest, most powerful person she'd ever known. At the same time all she held was a small girl, afraid of the dark places. What was this place? Zoe needed to understand.

"But, that's not what you wanted to know."River whispered, after a long silence.

"No – it's not." Zoe hesitated. "Was Wash …"

"No. He wasn't there. He's here."

Zoe stiffened, her eyes glancing around the bay looking for her man.

"No." River hugged Zoe tightly. "He's here."

Zoe might have cried, if she'd been given half a chance. But the hug and the feeling of warmth and closeness that had always been Wash to her, were interrupted by a sudden explosion that left them both sprawled on the ground.

Zoe took the brunt of the blast and lay face down in the middle of the cargo hold floor, unconscious. The air lock behind them had been replaced by a smoking hole and the acrid smell of high explosive. River struggled to her feet, drawing the twin blades from her back, facing the rude portal - waiting.


	22. Chapter 22 Reunion

Chapter 22 – Reunion

"River?"

"Donovan." She replied flatly.

The figure emerged through the smoke and haze of the explosion into the dimly lit arena of the cargo bay. River stood over Zoe's motionless body in a low horse stance, one blade held high protecting her head and the other held out protecting her forward leg. Her eyes were narrowed and her expression stone. The man smiled as he stood nonchalantly holding a pair of hook swords at his side.

"You remember me – I'm flattered."

"How could I forget, there were only a handful of us?"

"Alas, only two of us now." The man looked fit and muscular, more fit than River remembered. His smile was engaging and charming as always, his demeanor relaxed and confident. He looked at the destruction he had caused to the ship, laid open and smoking. "…. and they said I was too old for these games."

"You were the only one willing to play." River retorted coldly. "What happened to the others?"

"After you left it was just no fun for them anymore. " Donovan quipped as he positioned himself for the upcoming combat. "They decided to kill us all."

"And you?"

"Didn't want to be dead."

His attack was swift and forceful. River blocked the lead blade and ducked under the second. She rolled away from the wheeling first and riposted to the back of his thigh mid roll. He quickly blocked the slash with his second, hooking the blade and twisting the ornate Chinese sword from River's grip. It clattered to the corner.

"Fast as ever, but not as strong as you used to be." The blond haired man mused, bouncing nimbly on his toes and inviting River to respond. "Only one blade now. You've gotten weak on the outside, soft."

Zoe started to stir, attracting Donovan's attention momentarily. River crouched down beside the woman and hit her across the back of the head, sending her back into the land of induced slumber. It would be safer there. River held her other hand out to the side and concentrated on the Chinese sword.

"Blade."

The blade leapt from the corner to her outstretched hand.

"My my, you have been busy. Learned a new trick have you?" Donovan observed glibly. He attacked again and she countered. Their battle ranged across the hold and back, as River drew the battle carefully away from her fallen comrade, to the stairs and up to the gangway. He was the stronger combatant, that was clear, but River's speed kept her alive as the two clashed.

"This is getting down right tiresome." Donovan complained. "De Kooram Delphi!"

"Not mine" River laughed as she launched strikes to his head, thigh, wrist, forearm, foot and calf.

"Give it a rest! Will you?" He barked, blocking each one. "This is just futile. Bazzah De Tellum."

"Delphi Esra." She retorted, playfully.

"Eta Kooram Felus."

"Phonum Ismay." River returned, laughing. "There are thousands."

"Okay, equally as futile." He launched a cluster of attacks, which she deftly blocked.

"So what's the point?" River asked. "Why not just go home?"

"Vengeance." Donovan laughed. "There is no going home for folk like you and me, River. You should no that."

"Vengeance. Not a contract? That's not like you."

"Again, I am flattered you remember."

"You always wanted my job." River recalled. "Is that why you went to the Lotus?"

"The Black Lotus? No, that was just a means to an end, River." The man answered slumping back against the rail to rest. "No it's been about vengeance from the beginning."

"Captain was right." River tried a flurry of wheeling overhand attacks to no avail.

"He's a smart man." Donovan admitted, countering.

A quick stroke cut a thin slice across River's chest. The girl gasped and staggered back as the thin line turned red and dripped at the end. She cringed as she moved, adjusting to the stinging from her chest as Donovan followed her back. River was running out of room.

"Hate is not good for the soul." River parroted Sheppard Book's words thoughtfully. "It turns the heart black and cold."

"River – you surprise me. You haven't found God have you?"

"Nope – still looking."

River slashed a quick blow to his head and leapt over the rail tumbling from a crate top to the deck below. Donovan followed, rolling and springing to his feet. He continued his onslaught as he followed River through the cargo hold and into the passenger lounge area.

"Vengeance?" She asked, sounding unconvinced. To her, he seemed angry and sad. His words about home, and not having one, would have stung as much as the slice on her chest if it were not for Serenity and her crew. He just wanted what she had. He had always wanted what she had. "It sounds like jealousy to me. Are you sure its vengeance?"

"Yes- vengeance." Donovan snapped, mildly peeved that she questioned his honesty.

"Are you sure you didn't just miss me?"

"Now you're just stalling."

"And Jayne?" She asked after a quick parry. "Why attack him?"

"Poor fool. He was lost without Serenity." He struck forcefully to River's head repeatedly driving her back. "Cutting him down was just to split you up, get you alone. And it was good for his ego."

"Jayne's not dead, you know, and the Captain will be back. He won't like what you did to his ship."

A quick cut to Rivers left arm sent one blade to the floor. River staggered back, blood running down the arm. Donovan stopped for a moment. He had his prey cornered and tired. Her chest was heaving; her knees were almost ready to buckle, her remaining blade was heavy in her hand. He knew he could take her soon, but he didn't want his fun to end too quickly.

"Ha, don't much care about them really. Just you and your brother, that's all. The contract can stay open for all I care."

"Won't your Boss get mad – you know – leaving the job half done? He's not the most understanding man about that. Guns people down in the street."

"He's already dead. He and I had a disagreement." Donovan paused as he readied himself for the final round of combat. "Still – might could just kill the captain and his pregnant whore, just for grins."

"You've change." River said, disapprovingly. She studied him carefully, seeing him truly for the first time. His heart was dark and cold. She looked deep into his being, into the spaces, the ridges, the ripples.

"You don't even know the half of it mei mei."

Donovan drew his forearm across the blade of his hook sword. For a moment a red line appeared on his arm and a drop of blood formed at the end. But almost as quickly as he had opened it, his skin closed up and he licked the drop away.

"You can't kill me River. I am God."

Donovan smiled as the realization settled in to River's mind. It was only a matter of time. She could not win.

"Chen di tao xu - yi gi jiang wo men dao ." River mumbled, as a look of serenity came to her face.

"River? Zoe?" Simons voice came from out in the cargo hold.

"Oh good. Brother is home." Donovan wheeled around and headed through the lounge toward the cargo room hatch.

"No!" River dropped her blade to the deck with a clang and leaped on her assailant's back. Instantly both disappeared. Their clothes and weapons dropped to the ground, no longer supported by their being, forming a silent, tangled remnant of their former struggle.

"Help me get her to the infirmary." The doctor instructed. "River?"

Mal and Simon stumbled through the hatchway supporting Zoe between them. Mal's gun entered first. They almost tripped over a pile of random clothing on the deck as they made their way to the infirmary with the Doc's newest patient.

"River?" Simon called again.

"She's gone." Zoe mumbled, looking down at the piled clothing. They were deflated, as if their occupants had vaporized. River's dress lay over the top of the bunch, covering them, containing them, holding them. "They're both gone."


	23. Chapter 23 Home Coming

Chapter 23 – Home Coming

"We'll be at Harvest in three to four hours." Mal said, dropping into the plush couch. The scent of incense filled the room, the warm low lighting giving it a homey feel. Mal sighed.

"Jayne was rather please with the Idea that he could be the captain of the guard at, how did he put it?" Inara laughed as Mal sat next to her in the small parlor. "The classiest damn whore-house in the Verse." She laughed again quietly, but looked worried for the man.

"How did you know to meet us at the hospital?"

"We didn't. A man from the Black Lotus told us to stay there, not to return to Serenity." Inara explained, pulling a paper from her bag and handing it to Mal.

Mal took the paper and examined it carefully. It was old, perhaps over a year or so. It bore the signature of Captain Douglas Loe under _Requester_.

"We didn't know Jayne would be …"

"He'll be fine, Inara." Mal assured her. "He's got the best doctor in the Verse."

"It just doesn't feel right without them …" Her voice trailed off. '… Jayne - Simon – River."

Mal scanned the contract and wondered how many of their run-ins over the year had been due to this one piece of paper. Verbena? Jiang Yin? Persephone? His eye eventually made it to the bottom of the document. The voiding signature at the bottom was also Douglas Loe's, in the space labeled _Authority of the Black Heart_. Mal laughed, _Maybe not so black after all_.

"Lots of things are going to be different now." Mal mused, his hand absently rubbing Inara's belly. Her smile at the unconscious motion was impossible to miss. "We'll be at Harvest soon enough. There'll be enough there to keep your mind busy."

"I'm not worried about me, Mal."

"What – you're worried about me?"

"She meant a lot more to you than you're letting on, Mal. She meant a lot to all of us."

"Funny how things turn out." He mused, again unconsciously rubbing Inara's belly.

.

.-

Zoe sat on the bridge watching the stars out the windshield passing in their familiar pattern. She was starting to see why River spent so much time here. Zoe's reasons perhaps were different, but it was nonetheless a very comforting place. She looked down at her hand and wondered, trying to see the ridges, the ripples. They were having no part of her.

The crew had all listened to her when she tried to explain where River had gone, but she had to admit, it even sounded crazy to her. They attributed the story to her concussion, but Zoe knew better. River had taken Donovan to the only place she knew he couldn't hurt any of them.

Simon had stayed on Osiris with Jayne, to make sure he'd be taken care of and to patch up whatever relationship he might salvage with his father. He had told Zoe not to try and understand it, the ridges that is, adding that River was probably in a better place.

But Zoe couldn't help remembering – holding River in the cargo bay, calming her pleas, reassuring her that she didn't have to go back. She did not want to be in that place – the place she'd gone to, the place where she'd taken Donovan. It wasn't a nice place.

The airlock repairs were good enough to make the trip to Harvest and the captain was eager to get on their way. The Core seemed to make him nervous, something about being too crowded. River had always felt the same. Inara seemed to be okay with the idea of staying with Kaylee's folks while they sorted things out, but Kaylee was in a general funk. She was happy enough to be headed home, but she missed Simon, she missed River.

The warrior sat for a moment contemplating everything that had happened. She had been shaken by this excursion into the core. It had raised questions that she knew she would have to consider some day, and that some day was probably coming soon. Could she continue living her life in a pseudo-dream, denying that things would eventually have to change?

A shiver ran down Zoe's spine. The silence around her seemed to grate on itself, almost like gears grinding, misaligned. The atoms were scraping in their Brownian collisions, creating a high pitched whining in her ears. Almost as if the silence itself was screaming. She was startled by the resounding 'thunk' behind her, the sound of a body falling on to the metal deck and she turned.

River lay, naked on the floor curled into a fetal ball. She looked thin and weak, her skin was pail and her hair bleached white. Zoe sprang from the chair to cover the trembling girl with the blanket that had been covering her just moments earlier. Zoe sat on the deck next to River, lifting the shivering girl to face her and wrapping her in the warmth of the cover.

"River – River!" Zoe shook the girl until their eyes locked. "Are you Okay?"

"He wouldn't let go." She said weakly. "He didn't want to stay."

The girl slumped into Zoe's arms unconscious, her breathing even and peaceful. _Why did I expect anything different? _Zoe though with a smile, as she lifted the girl and carried her sleeping limp body to her module. The warrior tucked River carefully into her bed. She looked down at the slumbering teen, her white hair shockingly altered but her face innocent and unchanged. Perhaps Zoe could dream just a little longer, maybe even a different dream.

Mal appeared in the doorway behind his first mate.

"She finally come home?" He asked.

"Yes Sir." Zoe replied smiling down at the sleeping girl.

"Well we best tell Kaylee she's only got one day to visitin, before Serenity has to be ready again."

"Sir?"

"We gotta go get the rest of my damn crew."

THE END

Together we shall go to the place of great nothingness.


	24. Epilogue – White Tiger

Epilog – White Tiger

River sat on top of a crate in the cargo hold cross-legged, long white hair cascading over her bare shoulders, feeling the rhythm of Serenity. She closed her eyes, arched her back, and stretched her arms down to her knees, turning her palms slowly up. She breathed in deeply. Everyone was part of its flow, its beat, its pattern, its very life.

Captain Reynolds jogged up the ramp, passing by River, with Katlee close behind.

"We ready to roll, Katlee?"

"Yup, Cap'n." The engineer replied as she stowed her beach chair and parasol, "Jayne's just orientin the passengers, then we can be off."

Reynolds ascended the stairs at the back of the hold, where Zoe stood surveying from the loading platform.

"Ship in good shape?" He asked, as he continued up to the gangway.

"Tip top." She answered.

"Cargo stowed?"

"Away from prying eyes, Sir."

"Stop smiling." The captain ordered. "She ain't yours yet."

"Yes Sir."

Jayne limped up the ramp into Serenity's cargo hold with four young women in tow. Two looked to be from affluence, one from a farm and one was rescued from Badger's slave market. That had set Jayne back a few grand, but he didn't mind – much.

"Now there's some rules you'll have to follow while we're underway." Jayne announced. "Number one - and this is important - you don't mess with the crazy chick on the box. If you remember that one you might make it to Harvest alive."

The girls all went wide eyed and hush. Jayne always liked that part.

"Next. The cargo hold is off limits while we're underway, so if you need something you'd best get it now. Doc will look you all over in the infirmary and make sure you're all healthy and innocked. We do serve sit-down meals, next bein at 1800, other than that the galley is pretty standard, always open for your needs."

Inara stood on the gangway, just outside her shuttle, watching the applicants as they gave River a wide berth on their way to the infirmary. She was dressed royally as if to impress the newcomers. She held a small boy close in her arms and stood like a regal Greek statue as the girls passed through the hold.

"Daddy!" The little boy exclaimed, as the captain passed. Reynolds gave Inara a quick kiss and ruffed the boy's hair on his way to the bridge.

"Jayne is doing well." Inara observed.

"He is still a wolf among the sheep, keep a close eye." Captain warned on his way up the stair. "We'll have you home in about twenty, if we make the gate."

Inara smiled.

"Grrrr!" The little boy growled as he thrust his little arm out, his finger jabbing the air in River's direction. "Tiger!"

"No, Nathan." Inara corrected. "That's River."

They turned toward the shuttle door. It was knap time for the little one. His lids were heavy but his will was strong. He wriggled up on Inara, reaching over her shoulder and pointing.

"Grrr! Tiger."

River smiled.


End file.
